Assemblymember Ransom Secures $2.5 Million for Honeybee Health Program

SACRAMENTO, CA - Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom announces that the 2026-27 State Budget includes $2.5 to support the Managed Honeybee Health Program, building on her continued advocacy to protect honeybees, support commercial beekeepers, and strengthen California agriculture.

This follows Assemblymember Ransom's AB 1042, the Honeybee Health Act, which was vetoed last year because funding had not been included in the state budget. This year, Assemblymember Ransom secured the necessary budget allocation to advance the bill's goals of supporting honeybee health research, education, incentives, demonstration projects, and partnerships.

"In San Joaquin County and throughout California, our farmers, producers, beekeepers, and farmworkers help feed the world, and none of that happens without pollinators. From introducing AB 1042 last year to securing this funding in the state budget, my focus has been on helping California better understand the decline in honeybee populations and provide support where it is needed most. If we are serious about protecting our agricultural economy, we have to be serious about protecting our bees."

-Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom

Managed honeybees pollinate more than 100 crops grown in California, including almonds, berries, melons, fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts. Declining bee health can lead to reduced crop yields, increased costs, and greater pressure on California's agricultural competitiveness. Between June 2024 and March 2025, an estimated 1.6 million honeybee colonies were lost, with commercial beekeepers reporting average losses of 62%.

The $2.5 million investment will help advance managed honeybee health by supporting resources, technical assistance, disease management, and partnerships with researchers, industry, and federal programs.

The funding is intended to strengthen the resilience of California's managed honeybee populations and support the beekeepers and agricultural communities that depend on them, like the ones in San Joaquin County.